Shoot Low, They're Riding the Shetlands
by Kit Merlot
Summary: Chloe makes a discovery--a Chlex film noir inspired story.


Title: Shoot Low, They're Riding the Shetlands  
Author: Kathy  
Ratings: R for violence  
Pairings: Implied Chlex  
Category: Mystery  
Spoilers: Somewhere in Season 4, no specific episode is mentioned.  
Summary: Chloe makes a discovery.  
Disclaimer: This story is purely for fun and no profit. I don't own any of the characters. The WB has that privilege. THOSE JERKS!  
A/N: I 'm not sure where the idea for this short story came from, but here it is. I'm trying to get back into writing fanfiction, so please tell me know what you think.

**Shoot Low, They're Riding the Shetlands**

The _gun felt oddly light in his hand when he wrapped his fingers around the cold steel. He smiled grimly when he saw the flash of fear in the other man's eyes. Many people would see this as an act of desperation from a man over the edge. He didn't even pause to wonder if his actions were right or wrong. He was only certain of one fact, and that was that the man in front of him had to die. He glanced over at the other people cowering in fear before him, and he knew what he had to do. He took careful aim and fired_.

Chloe held the sheaf of papers in her hands, and the only thing she was aware of was that her hand was shaking. She couldn't be sure if it was in fear or shock, but she couldn't keep her hand straight if her life depended on it.

She took several deep breaths and turned back to the papers in front of her. The words on the page stopped making sense after she read the first couple of paragraphs. It was too unbelievable to be true, but Chloe knew better than anyone that what at first seemed too farfetched, eventually made a certain weird sense.

Chloe walked back to the kitchen table, and reluctantly picked up the papers and resumed reading. It didn't take long before a look of shocked disbelief was etched clearly on her face.

_He dimly heard the body hit the floor, and he knew without looking that the person was dead. He then turned to the two other people in the room and said, "Remember what you've seen here, because if I hear a word of this on the streets, I'll know who to go after."_

The other men nodded their heads, and they walked out of the warehouse, scattering into two different directions. The police siren cold be heard blaring, and he smiled when he watched his minions run, confident that neither of them was going to sing.

After an hour, Chloe had to again stop reading. She kept shaking her head at different parts, and at one point, she snorted disbelievingly. How could he keep something this important from her? She realized that everyone had a part of themselves that they kept hidden from others, but this was too monumental, too important, to be kept as a secret.

_"Kitten, don't leave!" The young blonde woman struggled to get away from the embrace of the man before her, hut he proved to be too strong. He held her close to him, and buried his face in her hair, muttering, "Baby, I love you. I promise that this was the last time." She looked up into his face, and tried to read his expression, but the tears that filled her eyes blinded her. She loved him, but would she be able to stay with him, knowing the darkness he was capable of?_

He was a complicated man with a past, just like everyone else, but Chloe always felt as though she knew him better than the average person. But after what she just read, that was far from the truth.

_He glowered at the two men in front of him, his bald head shining as he carefully polished his brass knuckles. "What did I tell you two the other night?" He looked expectantly at his henchmen and tried not to sigh to loudly at their confused facial expressions. Finally, one of the men spoke up. "You told us to keep our mouths shut, Boss."_

He smiled grimly in satisfaction at the answer, and paused a moment before he asked his second question. "Where's your heater?"

The second minion, who hadn't spoken the first time, squeaked out, "WHAT?"

Suddenly, their boss viscously backhanded the second henchmen with the brass knuckles, and calmly answered, "Where's your gun, Einstein?"

Before either man could answer, the blonde rushed into the room. "Scram! It's the coppers!"

Chloe rolled her eyes and shook her head, stunned that anyone would utter a line like that.

Just then Chloe heard the lock turn in the door to their apartment and the front door open.

"Dad, do you want to tell me why you're writing dime store detective novels?"

**Death in an Alleyway**

by Gabe Sullivan

Summary: Cub reporter, Vera Miller investigates the brutal shooting of Private Eye, Thomas Kent . Along the way, she meets Joseph Alexander, a notorious gangster. The two soon fall in love, but can she trust him or will it be, **Death in an Alleyway?**


End file.
